Who would have thought that when our president announced a national lockdown in March this year, that over four months later we would still be in some sort of lock down and in such a dramatically altered state of ‘the new normal’.
As women, we often find ourselves dealing with some level of guilt for spending too much time building our careers. This typically involves some level of absenteeism from our loved ones on the home front. For many of us, however, we are now forced to work from home, giving us what we’ve always wanted, right? This means actively engaged in the trenches at home and spending more time with our children and partners? “Ja, right!” is what some of you may be thinking. As it turns out, the fairy tale hasn’t panned out entirely the way we thought it would.
Being a business owner and mom has definitely had its ups and downs during lock down. Managing both my personal and business life has come with a few challenges. Amidst all the usual challenges many women have to face, we are now confronted with the additional threat of job security, as the future remains uncertain and so many businesses are struggling with the impact of this pandemic.
I find myself working harder for longer hours behind my desk, as work and home seem now to have merged into one. I have found it difficult to separate work and home and the work-life balance that never really existed before is even more intertwined than ever.
In between working, we have now become Heads of IT, Executive chefs, Teachers and Therapists with some moonlighting on the side to do our actual jobs. The complexity of this juggling act cannot be overstated. There are very few common threads between engaging with clients and staff and then switching to teaching, feeding, motivating and ultimately raising our country’s future leaders: Doctors, Accountants, Lawyers, etc. my and your children. Ticking the boxes and doing it with the passion we ought to have and with the intent required to get a truly successful result is tough. There is no denying it.
Having said this, it is important to cast our eyes over our shoulders and to reflect on from where we have come as a society and as women. Historically, socio-economic norms were such that women stayed at home to raise families and support their husbands.
Fast forward to 2020 where women who want to build careers are largely enabled and supported to do so, as are women who take the incredibly important role of supporting their households through raising children and supporting their husbands.
Roll on COVID-19 nationwide lockdown and all our crazy ‘new normal.’ We now, more than ever, have the opportunity to “Have our cake and eat it” by being home with our families, whilst still driving our careers. Be the stay at home mom and business executive, free from guilt! So, with all the challenges COVID-19 has thrown our way, we cannot deny there are some positives.
Personally, I have enjoyed more time with my family, less time on the road, greater productivity, certain expenses have decreased and money has been saved as a result, and one that I’m still trying to master is more time to get fit.
Our lives may never be the same again and in saying that we need to ensure we protect our wellbeing and restore balance between our home and work lives.
Here are six easy ways to ensure we find balance in both:
- Make sure our children are educated during this time. I believe it is key to set a routine for yourself and your children. Make sure they understand what is expected from them during the day and what your working schedule looks like.
- Maintain healthy eating habits. Healthy well-nourished minds and bodies have a lot better chance at succeeding. Plan set meals each day that balance preparation time, and provide you and your family with the nutrients you need.
- Life changes constantly and every day during lockdown seems to be different. Allow yourself to be flexible – things may change, and you need to be open to that. Working a 9 – 5 job may not work in your home, as your children require attention. Speak to your employer and see if you can structure your working hours around your personal needs. Getting this clarity will reduce your anxiety levels.
- Make sure you have a designated work environment. It is important that when you get ready in the morning, it is as if you are going to work. Create an environment that mimics what you would have had at the office. Ensure you have a good internet connection which will make life easier and alleviate some frustration.
- Be strict with your time and make sure you can separate work from home. Stick to your normal working hours and ensure you are as productive as you would have been in your normal working environment.
- Figure out what helps you cope. What has helped me is making sure I get out of the house to go for morning or afternoon walks. We are stuck indoors for more hours in the day, so venturing into the outside world for a walk or jog is more important now than ever.
“You will never feel truly satisfied by work until you are satisfied by life.” ~ Heather Schuck
In Celebration of Woman’s month, I would suggest you focus on yourself. Make sure you look after your own well-being and set clear goals for you and your family! This is the new normal, so we need to start settling in and learning new ways to communicate and inspire both women in our organisations as well as our future leaders.